From what I hear, fifty years ago, Earth’s population was seventy percent bigger than what it is today. Then the Gates opened up and spilled out unbeatable monsters that started killing off everything. Nearly all of the original animals and most of the human population died. Twenty years later, the Gates around the world destabilized and almost destroyed the Earth. The heroic acts of S Hunters, the Noble and Josu Ghost, saved Earth. The Gates disappeared and the unbeatable monsters were vanquished.

At least, that’s what the history books say. I’ve never seen a Gate, and the idea that there used to be that many people around is just weird. But I have seen plenty of the abandoned towns they used to live in. As for unbeatable monsters, well, I’ve never seen any of those either. Just plenty of your everyday, average monsters.

That was all fine and dandy, but if I wanted to buy the latest model of Hunter-grade compact mage bow, I needed to find a non-average monster. With a trophy like that, I should be able to finally afford one.

Only a promise like that would get me out of bed at the butt-crack of dawn on a Saturday. Seriously, what sane person would willingly want to ruin their weekend that way?

Grumbling to myself, I leaned over and turned off the alarm singing, “Good morning! Good morning! Ba-ba-ba, Bah! Ba-ba-ba, Bah! Good Morning!”

“Ugh, why do I even have that alarm setting on?” I moaned and shoved my hands through my dark brown hair. “I hate that song!”

Instead of slipping back into bed like I wanted to, I got up and dressed in a long-sleeved green shirt, flexible brown pants, and steel-toed boots. There wasn’t a need for makeup, just my hair in a simple ponytail, since I didn’t plan on meeting anyone.

My dad was already awake, a habit from years of getting up early to get to work on time. He sat at the kitchen table, sipping black coffee and reading the news on the tablet. He glanced up when I walked in the room. “What are you doing up so early?”

I walked through the L-shaped kitchen behind the table and opened a white cabinet by the farmhouse sink. My usual purple mug clattered softly on the gray speckled solid surface countertop as I set it down before I filled it up with coffee. I needed something to keep me going this early in the morning.

“Someone saw an OwlBear last night,” I explained as I started to pour in enough sugar and cream into my coffee to make it blond. “I’m going to get it before someone else does.” Especially that stupid Cooper Morsis and his obnoxious loud mouth. If I had to listen to him brag about how great he was one more time, I would get expelled from school for violence.

Dad looked up from the tablet, the tired wrinkles around his deep brown eyes more noticeable than ever. “Kylee.” My name slipped out of his mouth in a low warning. “You are not a licensed Hunter yet. Just because you have the drive and gear doesn’t mean it's your place to put yourself in danger like this. That’s what professional Hunters are for.”

I shook my head and sat down next to him. “It’s not about that. I want a new bow, Dad.” I sipped my coffee and waited for it to chase away the last little bit of sleepiness still lingering. “I can’t ask you for it, since I’m already way in debt to you. If I want it, I need to earn the money to get it. A rare trophy will get me that money.”

He scowled and shook his head. “OwlBears aren’t your typical goblins, Kylee. They’re dangerous. And you don’t need a new bow. The one you have suits all your needs right now.”

I took another drink. I didn’t have the heart to tell my dad that the expensive bow that he and mom got me just a year ago was already becoming too weak to handle my power. Neither of my parents were Hunters. They just didn’t understand the frustration of always having to hold back and not use your full potential because of your equipment. Even so, they really did try their best for me, which was why I couldn’t ask for more.

Dad kept lecturing me as I continued to guzzle my coffee. If it wasn’t for all the cream and sugar I put in it, my tongue would have burnt off. As it was, my mouth was only slightly numb by the time I drank the last drop.

“Everything you said is absolutely true,” I admitted and walked my mug to the kitchen sink. “As is the fact that Cho-Cho needs a walk. I’ll go do that now.” I hurried out the back door as Dad barked out my name in warning.

I ran to the barn around the back of the house like Hellhounds were after me. I stopped at the battered wooden door and looked over my shoulder. Dad didn’t follow me out of the house, so I was going to take that as a good sign. I let out a short breath of relief and unlatched the barn door, my fingertips habitually sliding along the deep scratches that marred the wood.

From inside the dark building, a low-pitched, rattled purr echoed out.

“Morning, girl,” I said and flicked on the light switch.

In the stall sectioned off on the right side was a giant Clucktrice. She was seven feet tall and covered in long brownish-red feathers. Unlike a normal chicken, her powerful body was lean, her orange-skinned legs as thick as my own, strong feet tipped with claws bigger than my fingers.

Her black eyes brightened at the sight of me. She pressed against the corral fence, eager to get closer to me, as she let out another birdlike purr.

“That’s a good girl,” I murmured and walked over to her.

She bowed her head and closed her eyes with glee as I smoothed my hand over the top of her razor sharp orange beak and over the flat of her head. The small tuft of long red-tipped feathers on the crown of her head, that matched her tail plume, quivered in pleasure.

Humming under my breath, I started to saddle her up.

Mounts came in all shapes and sizes. Basically, any monster that could be tamed could be used as a mount. Granted, there were some that would never work out — such as a dragon. Thousands of Hunters have died just trying to tame one — even a hatchling from an egg was impossible. But smaller, less intelligent monsters could be tamed. Of course, the more exotic the mount was, the more it cost.

Unlike most mounts, I got Cho-Cho as a chick. Very few people in Mist Haven could even afford one — a fact that stupid Cooper Morsis loved to brag about. I even had to exchange two years’ worth of birthdays and Christmases and all my life savings to simply get a Clucktrice chick. And they were one of the more ‘cost effective’ mounts out there.

There were some pros and cons to raising a mount. The pros were how Cho-Cho imprinted on me. She was loyal to the death and now that she was trained, our acts were seamless, since we’d been working together all her life. The cons were, well, the fact that I had to raise and train a monster mount without any experience. And the ten months she went through her ‘teenage’ stage. The barn still sported the results of her violent, rebellious outbursts — which was why two-thirds of the barn was new and the other third was over sixty years old.

Once she was ready, I put on my fitted chest plate, arm bracers and leg guards. With school and everything else, I hadn’t had the time to buff out the marks from my last hunt, the gear still worked well. Last of all, I grabbed my mage bow and led Cho-Cho outside. Once the bow was attached to Cho-Cho’s saddle, I jumped up and led her through the quiet neighborhood, towards the Rocky Mountain hills. Her claws barely made a sound on concrete as she sprinted under the watchful eyes of the two moons.

The sun was barely rising in the sky as we passed the tree line and started up the slope. I slowed Cho-Cho down to a walk as I took out my phone and examined the map on it. According to the news, the Owlbear was seen at the coordinates a five miles northwest of here. If I was graduated from high school, I could have a Guide to help me — and an Items Bag to hold my stuff — but for now I had to do everything the hard way, by hand. There was only a half a mile left before I was out of range of cell service. I had to make sure I was going in the right direction. With the destination set, I turned Cho-Cho and led her through the thickening forest. Unlike a mechanical ride, Cho-Cho easily walked around the densely packed trees and bushes with barely a sound.

The forest was quiet. Fresh spring leaves danced in the nippy air and colorful flowers opened up to face the morning sun. Leafy trees mixed with tall pines, their wonderful smell dancing around me.

Unfortunately, only an idiot would relax in a place like that. Sure, most of the deadly monsters have been killed off from around here, but that leaves a lot of not-the-deadliest monsters still around. It’s not all that uncommon for a dozen people to go missing every year because they aren’t paying attention to their surroundings. I guess before the Gates appeared, there were nice animals like deer and squirrels in this area. That would have been a hell of a lot nicer to see than Fire Jackals and the malicious Dryads, along with other monsters that roam these parts.

My eyes narrowed when I felt the presence of a strong being to my left. Instantly, my mage bow was in my hand. For a second, I debated. Do I nock a normal arrow with the drawstring, or use a magic arrow? I couldn’t tell how strong the other thing was — or what it was.

It was better to be safe than sorry. I held the grip firmly in my left hand while my right fingers brushed the drawstring. My magic condensed in the curve of the bow and created an ice arrow on a phantom drawstring created by my magic. I gripped the end of the arrow, the phantom string slightly shimmering, as I drew it back half-way. All of my senses were on alert, ready to shoot at the slightest warning.

Cho-Cho tensed under me, picking up on my physical cues. She cocked her head, staring in the same direction I was.

From between the trees, I caught a glimpse of a large black panther. Morning light gleamed off its speckled melanistic coat and the blueish black feathers of its powerful wings. Its long tail flicked as it walked silently through the forest.

Seated between the black wings was a young man just as gorgeous as the cat under him. His white-blond hair was a stark contrast to his mount, the thick locks pushed casually off his forehead. I was too far away to tell, but I didn’t have to look to know that his eyes were bright blue. After all, I’d seen them almost everyday since I was six.

My brows rose on my forehead with shock and concern. Terra Noblē? What was he doing here?

*****